Retrospective Cross-sectional Analysis of the Changes in Marijuana Use in the USA, 2005-2018

Overview

Journal BMJ Open

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2020 Jul 30

PMID 32723745

Citations 12

Authors

William Mitchell

Roma Bhatia

Nazlee Zebardast

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: Understanding trends of marijuana use in the USA throughout a period of particularly high adoption of marijuana-legalisation, and understanding demographics most at risk of use, is important in evolving healthcare policy and intervention. This study analyses the demographic-specific changes in the prevalence of marijuana use in the USA between 2005 and 2018.

Design, Setting And Participants: A 14-year retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database, a publicly available biennially collected national survey, weighted to represent the entire US population. A total of 35 212 adults between 18 and 69 years old participated in the seven-cycles of surveys analysed (2005-2018).

Primary Outcome Measured: Lifetime use, first use before 18 years old, and past-year use of marijuana.

Results: The majority of adults reported ever using marijuana. While the overall prevalence of lifetime marijuana use remained stable (p=0.53), past-year use increased significantly between 2005 and 2018 (p<0.001) with highest rate of past-year use among younger age groups (p<0.001), males (p<0.001) and those with income below poverty level (p<0.001). Past-year use was the most common among non-Hispanic blacks, and less common among Hispanic/Mexican populations (p<0.002). Trends in past-year use increased among all age categories, males/females, all ethnicities, those with high school education/above, and those at all income levels (p<0.01 for all).

Conclusions: While lifetime marijuana use remained stable, past-year use significantly increased between 2005 and 2018. While past-year use remained the most common in younger age groups, males, non-Hispanic blacks and those with lower income; increasing trends in past-year use were significant for all age, sex, race and income categories, and for those with high school education/above. With high adoption of marijuana-legalisation laws during this period, our results suggest an associated increase in past-year marijuana use.An accurate understanding of those most at risk can help to inform decisions of healthcare policy-makers and professionals, and facilitate a safe transition of changing marijuana legalisation and use in the USA.

Citing Articles

Trends in marijuana and heavy alcohol use by cigarette smoking status among US adults: An analysis of the 2002-2019 NSDUH.

Rich J, Back S, Bui T, Bernstein E, Le P Drug Alcohol Depend. 2024; 261:111355.

PMID: 38896945 PMC: 11632672. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111355.

Sex differences in the acute effects of oral THC: a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover human laboratory study.

Mohammad Aghaei A, Urban Spillane L, Pittman B, Flynn L, Aquino J, Bassir Nia A Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2024; 241(10):2145-2155.

PMID: 38832949 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06625-6.

Alcohol and cannabis use and co-use among Whites and Hispanics on and off the U.S./Mexico border in California.

Caetano R, Vaeth P, Gruenewald P, Ponicki W, Kaplan Z J Ethn Subst Abuse. 2024; :1-17.

PMID: 38795010 PMC: 11586460. DOI: 10.1080/15332640.2024.2354320.

Sex Differences in the Acute Effects of Oral THC: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Human Laboratory Study.

Mohammad Aghaei A, Urban Spillane L, Pittman B, Flynn L, Aquino J, Bassir Nia A medRxiv. 2023; .

PMID: 38077095 PMC: 10705657. DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.23299193.

Acute Toxicity and Pharmacokinetic Profile of an EU-GMP-Certified L. in Rodents.

Filipiuc L, Stefanescu R, Solcan C, Ciorpac M, Szilagyi A, Cojocaru D Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023; 16(5).

PMID: 37242477 PMC: 10223347. DOI: 10.3390/ph16050694.

References

Smart R, Caulkins J, Kilmer B, Davenport S, Midgette G . Variation in cannabis potency and prices in a newly legal market: evidence from 30 million cannabis sales in Washington state. Addiction. 2017; 112(12):2167-2177. PMC: 5673542. DOI: 10.1111/add.13886. View

Hunt P, Pacula R . Early Impacts of Marijuana Legalization: An Evaluation of Prices in Colorado and Washington. J Prim Prev. 2017; 38(3):221-248. PMC: 5544434. DOI: 10.1007/s10935-017-0471-x. View

Moeller S, Fink D, Gbedemah M, Hasin D, Galea S, Zvolensky M . Trends in Illicit Drug Use Among Smokers and Nonsmokers in the United States, 2002-2014. J Clin Psychiatry. 2018; 79(3). PMC: 6139671. DOI: 10.4088/JCP.17m11718. View

Jensen E, Roussell A . Field observations of the developing legal recreational cannabis economy in Washington State. Int J Drug Policy. 2016; 33:96-101. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.02.023. View

Harpin S, Brooks-Russell A, Ma M, James K, Levinson A . Adolescent Marijuana Use and Perceived Ease of Access Before and After Recreational Marijuana Implementation in Colorado. Subst Use Misuse. 2017; 53(3):451-456. DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2017.1334069. View

Pacula R, Kilmer B, Wagenaar A, Chaloupka F, Caulkins J . Developing public health regulations for marijuana: lessons from alcohol and tobacco. Am J Public Health. 2014; 104(6):1021-8. PMC: 4062005. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301766. View

Room R . Legalizing a market for cannabis for pleasure: Colorado, Washington, Uruguay and beyond. Addiction. 2013; 109(3):345-51. DOI: 10.1111/add.12355. View

Shanahan M, Ritter A . Cost benefit analysis of two policy options for cannabis: status quo and legalisation. PLoS One. 2014; 9(4):e95569. PMC: 3995798. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095569. View

Tyree G, Sarkar R, Bellows B, Ellis R, Atkinson J, Marcotte T . A Cost-Effectiveness Model for Adjunctive Smoked Cannabis in the Treatment of Chronic Neuropathic Pain. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2019; 4(1):62-72. PMC: 6446169. DOI: 10.1089/can.2018.0027. View

10.

Hasin D, Sarvet A, Cerda M, Keyes K, Stohl M, Galea S . US Adult Illicit Cannabis Use, Cannabis Use Disorder, and Medical Marijuana Laws: 1991-1992 to 2012-2013. JAMA Psychiatry. 2017; 74(6):579-588. PMC: 5539836. DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.0724. View

11.

Cohn A, Johnson A, Rose S, Rath J, Villanti A . Support for Marijuana Legalization and Predictors of Intentions to Use Marijuana More Often in Response to Legalization Among U.S. Young Adults. Subst Use Misuse. 2016; 52(2):203-213. DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2016.1223688. View

12.

Smart R, Pacula R . Early evidence of the impact of cannabis legalization on cannabis use, cannabis use disorder, and the use of other substances: Findings from state policy evaluations. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2019; 45(6):644-663. PMC: 6934162. DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2019.1669626. View

13.

Hasin D, Saha T, Kerridge B, Goldstein R, Chou S, Zhang H . Prevalence of Marijuana Use Disorders in the United States Between 2001-2002 and 2012-2013. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015; 72(12):1235-42. PMC: 5037576. DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.1858. View

14.

Grucza R, Agrawal A, Krauss M, Bongu J, Plunk A, Cavazos-Rehg P . Declining Prevalence of Marijuana Use Disorders Among Adolescents in the United States, 2002 to 2013. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016; 55(6):487-494.e6. PMC: 4957692. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2016.04.002. View

15.

Golub A, Johnson B, Dunlap E . THE RACE/ETHNICITY DISPARITY IN MISDEMEANOR MARIJUANA ARRESTS IN NEW YORK CITY. Criminol Public Policy. 2008; 6(1):131-164. PMC: 2561263. DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-9133.2007.00426.x. View

16.

Bae H, Kerr D . Marijuana use trends among college students in states with and without legalization of recreational use: initial and longer-term changes from 2008 to 2018. Addiction. 2019; 115(6):1115-1124. DOI: 10.1111/add.14939. View

17.

Salas-Wright C, Vaughn M, Cummings-Vaughn L, Holzer K, Nelson E, AbiNader M . Trends and correlates of marijuana use among late middle-aged and older adults in the United States, 2002-2014. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2017; 171:97-106. PMC: 5263052. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.11.031. View

18.

Karjalainen K, Lintonen T, Hakkarainen P . Illicit drug use is increasing among non-medical users of prescription drugs-Results from population-based surveys 2002-2014. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2017; 178:430-434. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.05.041. View

19.

Carliner H, Brown Q, Sarvet A, Hasin D . Cannabis use, attitudes, and legal status in the U.S.: A review. Prev Med. 2017; 104:13-23. PMC: 6348863. DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.07.008. View

20.

Hall W . Alcohol and cannabis: Comparing their adverse health effects and regulatory regimes. Int J Drug Policy. 2016; 42:57-62. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.10.021. View